Make a buttermilk coleslaw that's tangy and not soggy

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By AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN

We wanted a buttermilk coleslaw with crisp pieces of cabbage lightly coated with a flavorful buttermilk dressing that would cling to the cabbage instead of collecting in the bottom of the bowl.

We found that salting and draining the cabbage removed excess water and wilted it to a pickle-crisp texture. For a dressing that was both hefty and tangy, we combined buttermilk, mayonnaise and sour cream.

CREAMY BUTTERMILK COLESLAW

Servings: 4

Start to finish: 1 hour and 30 minutes

If you are planning to serve the coleslaw immediately, rinse the salted cabbage in a large bowl of ice water, drain it in a colander, pick out any ice cubes, then pat the cabbage dry before dressing.

1/2 head red or green cabbage, cored and sliced thin (6 cups)

Salt and pepper

1 carrot, peeled and shredded

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons sour cream

1 small shallot, minced

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Toss shredded cabbage and 1 teaspoon salt in colander or large-mesh strainer set over medium bowl. Let stand until cabbage wilts, at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours. Rinse cabbage under cold running water. Press, but do not squeeze, to drain; pat dry with paper towels. Place wilted cabbage and carrot in large bowl.

Stir buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, shallot, parsley, vinegar, sugar, mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper together in small bowl. Pour dressing over cabbage and toss to combine; refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes. (Coleslaw can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

Nutrition information per serving: 115 calories; 64 calories from fat; 7 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 8 mg cholesterol; 408 mg sodium; 11 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 7 g sugar; 36 g protein.

For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit www.americastestkitchen.com. Find more recipes like Buttermilk Coleslaw in "Complete Make-Ahead."